The Big Sleep

By Raymond Chandler

The first Philip Marlowe novel, and one of the most iconic detective stories ever written.
 
Private eye Philip Marlowe is hired by General Sternwood to investigate the blackmailing of his daughter, Carmen. He is able to track down what appears to be the culprit, but quickly realizes that things are much more complicated than they appear. The Big Sleep has been adapted into film twice, with Humphrey Bogart and Robert Mitchum playing Marlowe.
 
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• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Sep 8, 2015
• ISBN: 9781551998466

Raymond Chandler

Raymond Chandler (1888-1959) was best known as the creator of fictional detective Philip Marlowe. One of the most influential American authors of crime novels and stories, his books were considered classics of the genre, and many of them were turned into enormously popular Hollywood films, including The Big Sleep and The Long Goodbye.

Reviews for The Big Sleep

[dh1writer · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Philip Marlowe. Rich dying client. Two eccentric daughters. Porn. Gangsters. Plot twists. Bet you can't guess who did it. Chandler's first that defined a genre. Doesn't get any better.

[thoughtsofjoylibrary · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Private investigator, Philip Marlowe of Los Angeles is hired by an elderly millionaire to find out who and why he is being blackmailed.Chandler's style is revered by many, but I found it to be a bit too wordy. I'm also discovering that I don't necessarily care for the old time detective novels with their smoky rooms, long overcoats and hats, so unfortunately it started out behind from the get-go. As for the plot, it did contain much more than blackmail, but it didn't carry much pizazz or intrigue for me; however, it held enough of my interest to continue. Well, at the very least, I can cross Raymond Chandler off my TBR List and I love doing that.Originally posted on: Thoughts of Joy

[finxy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review from BadelyngeThe Big Sleep is Raymond Chandler's debut novel published in 1939 and it's a corker featuring Chandler's now iconic hard boiled private detective Philip Marlowe. It's filled with memorable characters; tough guys, wise guys, grifters and chancers all playing their roles in the tangled web of a plot. Although complex I really like how much of the detail in the book actually turns out to be connected with everything else. There is no hiding the answers behind piles of irrelevant and unconnected red herrings, which seems to be the the current template for quite a lot of contemporary paint by numbers crime fiction. As more details are discovered and things start to move, stirred by the relentless Marlowe, the picture starts to come together until all eventually becomes clear. Yes I admit, I have seen both film versions many times, though mostly I kept getting flashbacks from the more lurid and inferior 1970s Robert Mitchum version rather than the superior 1940s Humphrey Bogart version. Probably because that version, although set in the wrong country, had more license to depict the more brash and striking elements from the book. And I still haven't mentioned Chandler's colourful and witty similes which are rightly famous and endlessly imitated. Chandler's writing is so much better than the pulp genre it inhabits; there is real heart and emotion here if you persevere to the last page. So if you are stuck for a new detective novel why not give one of the old masters a try. Worked for me.

[ericcostello-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The classic, deeply influential work of noir fiction which introduced Philip Marlowe, private eye. Quite famously, not all of the ends are tied up (who did kill the chauffeur?), but in Chandler's case, he vastly preferred to set a tone, and he does so highly successfully. One could read it for its landmark status, but it can be read for simple pure enjoyment, especially the large number of classic lines.

[anitatally · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Fun, corny.

[dgrachel · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great. The story dragged, I detested most of the characters, and overall, I just couldn't wait for it to be over. That being said, I haven't been feeling great, so maybe part of the problem is me. Maybe at another time, I'd have loved the novel. I'm not ready to write Chandler off completely. I just need to wait a bit before I try another Marlowe.

[schufman · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Enjoyed this book as much as I expected, as a fan of the private detective novels. Requires a bit more keeping-track-of-events than your average mystery novel does nowadays, but keeping up with all the small twists is a part of the fun.

[amandrake_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Raymond Chandler was probably responsible for half the detective cliches of the era. Dashiell Hammett was responsible for the other half.Seriously - Chandler was an original with a fantastic knack for setting the "feel" of a scene. His style is easy to read but doesn't feel stripped down like Hemingway. Yes, reading it now, it does seem dated (his treatment of women, for example... and that everyone smokes) but it's not only a great read but an important mark for fiction of the 20th century.

[electrascaife · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really wanted to love this one, because I've always thought that I'd love Chandler's books. But, well, I couldn't get past the misogyny and the homophobic language. There's enough of that business as it is right now; I don't need it in the books I read, too.

[margaretfield · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Raymond Chandler is a great writer. The first Philip Marlowe book. Elderly man hires Marlowe to find his son-in-law and get his wild daughter out of trouble.

[ma_washigeri · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Just great. The only thing that could have made it better would have been not knowing the story..... but even with the film and so many (excellent) BBC radio 4 readings and plays it's still a great plot! And the vivid language is fresh as ever.

[thedivineoomba · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I had troubles reading this book. I found the private detective, Marlowe, to be a very stereotypical 1940's book. From the way Marlowe treats the two women involved in the blackmail scheme, to the way he describes the pornography producer as a "queen". I also found the way the police department was willing to ignore certain crimes... Of course, this is a book written in 1939, and Marlowe is just a reflection of American values at that time, but it is still makes for a difficult read.The mystery itself is all over the place, with most everyone a stereotype. Marlowe discovers quite a bit in only 24 hours, which seems a bit extreme. There's a lot of weird stuff that is just there for misdirection. I'm glad I read it, but I found it difficult going at times.

[angelajmaher · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really like the style of this book. Some of the descriptive phrases are pure genius. It's a book you can enjoy for the style as much as the subject.

[leslie398 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

March 2018 reread via audiobook narrated by Elliot Gould:Gould's narration was good but there were a few times when it was difficult to tell who was speaking since the voices he used were basically all the same.I had forgotten how different the ending was from the movie - much more plausible!

[steve12553 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful mystery. Togh as nails Phillip Marlowe is called to see General Sternwood to protect his daughter from a blackmailer and 4 bodies later he's buried in intrigue and still not sure what his case is. A bit racier than the Bogart-Bacall film with a twist ending makes you see why it's held up for so many years.

[filoma-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this story in the audio format. The story was interesting and makes me think of 'noir' classic detective movies. Ray Porter, as the narrator, does a fantastic job. I found that he really brought Marlowe to life. I also thought that he did an ok job with the female voices. This is the type of story, with this narrator, that I could listen to a number of times. It is now certainly on my wish list to buy, since I've only listened to the library copy to date.

[bauernfeind · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A supposed "must read" on a few lists, I did not find it to be be that interesting. An easy read, just not what I'd think would rate a "must read" in anyone's book unless you are a Raymond Chandler fan

[bruce_mcnair_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book is one of the classics of American crime fiction. Philip Marlowe is a classic model of the hard-boiled private detective. In my opinion, his offhand manner and dry humour endear him to readers while at the same time he gets under the skin of criminals and cops alike. This story is broken into two cases: investigation of a blackmail that ends in murder, and a missing person case. Both cases are the result of Marlowe being hired by a rich man who has young daughters he is concerned about. I give this book 4 stars out of 5.

[red4yardbird · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Great lines!

[maneekuhi · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

SHE WAS DRUNKER THAN A LEGION CONVENTIONIf Raymond Chandler's "The Big Sleep" were released today, word unchanged, except for title and author, I have no doubt it would score no more than two stars by its handful of readers. It's as jammed filled with similes, metaphors, and other one-liners as an aging tap dancer's bustier is with.... My favorite all-time is "Dead men are heavier than broken hearts". That was on page 42 of my edition; I was already starting to get tired of them, and still had almost 200 pages to go. It's hard-boiled, it's noir, but worst of all, it's politically incorrect. As if the book wasn't hard enough to get through, I tortured myself worse than wearing tight shoes at a "dance till you drop" contest by watching the movie concurrently. I had seen the opening Bogie-with-General-Sternwood-sweating-in-the-orchid-nursery scene at least a dozen times.....and finally made it to the end. An ending, by the way, very different for that dame Bacall compared to the book's."The Big Sleep" - a metaphor for death in case you wondered - was released in 1939 and quickly became one of the most notable classics of mystery novels. This was a time when Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, and writers of locked room mysteries had been defining the genre for decades. Chandler, Dasheill Hammett, James Cain, and Mike Hammett all contributed to the exponential growth of crime fiction and paperback novels. Thanks for that guys, or else we'd all still be reading nothing but cosies for our crime fix.But I was disappointed to discover that "The Big Sleep" has not aged well. The entire focus is on the crime at hand, there is no sub-plot, only a very convoluted and detailed plot about......I'm not sure. There is virtually no description of Los Angeles of the day, rather you get the sounds of rain dripping into the gutter while the gumshoe is getting soaked peering in through a window. We learn precious little of Marlowe's background even of his physical description - he's tall, a problem given Bogart's casting. There's no forensics, the police are involved only as a vehicle to repeat some dialog of who was where when. Very out of sync with today's crime fiction. No big twists, no surprises. So, it's interesting from a historical perspective, and I'm glad I read this one but it will be a long time before I read another 1940's noir.

[madepercy-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It's difficult not to like Raymond Chandler's work. This is only the second of his novels I have read, but this time, because I doubted Hollywood would replicate the pornography ring in detail, and it was a wet and windy Saturday night, I watched the 1946 film version of The Big Sleep starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. It was sufficiently different to the book not to affect my enjoyment of the story, and, I must say, it was good to watch a crisp black and white movie on my television. I watched it on Youtube, but the rented, rather than the pirated, version of the film. I am now off in search of African Queen and other Bogart classics and will follow these up with the novels, too. But The Big Sleep was an excellent read. I am struck by the complexity of Philip Marlowe's character that eludes the Bogart version. Because there is no real love story, as in the Hollywood version, there is much more to explore, and no need to find excuses for Lauren Bacall to appear so frequently. Marlowe reminds me of the Protestant ethic. It is OK to be a booze-hound and to smoke yourself to death, as long as you don't do reefers and you are admirable in your smuttiness towards the upper classes. Chandler's prose is brilliant, and it would appear, for now at least, that this novel is considered his best because it is his best. Not so many wise-cracks and heavy similes as Farewell, My Lovely, but, all the same, a cracker of a story, a likeable character, and a paddock full of fertilizer for the imagination in a mere 250 pages, and a one-page conclusion that brings multiple stories to a neat and satisfying finish.

[cataluna-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I am slow on the uptake of some classics and this one is no different. And I'm glad to say it's another off the 1001 list! I am still making my way through and according to the app, I should finish them all before I die! On to the book. I liked Chandler's writing style, it flows nicely and it was a quick enjoyable read. I love Robert Crais' Elvis Cole series and it is easy to see the influence that Chandler (as I'm sure Hammett has too), has had on modern crime writers. Originally published in 1939, The Big Sleep holds up well as a novel, I didn't feel like I was reading something completely alien, although it's possible not quite as bloody and violent as we are used to today. I will say, the racism, sexism and homophobia pulled me out of the story (but I think that goes to show that Chandler's work is still accessible to modern crime readers). I had a couple of pauses, 'Did he just say fag?' Ah yep, ok. And yes, let's slap the vulnerable girl, that'll fix things *eye roll* Reading something from this era, I need to remind myself that although it's not right, this was common place thinking. It may be frustrating for some to read, but I don't agree with removing or editing works that have offensive material, (Huck Finn and Magic Faraway Tree are two examples). I don't think it does anyone any good to pretend that racism, homophobia, sexism didn't exist, it's important to read stories how the author intended and move on from there & hopefully learn from it, especially when we ask children to study these texts in school.Overall, I enjoyed The Big Sleep. Like I said, it was an easy Sunday afternoon read, I laughed, I groaned and I read it in one sitting. One of things I've been asking myself each time I finish a book from the list - Was this book worthy of a spot on the list and would I read another of his books? And it's yes to both.

[fridaybookchicks · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A Classic must read for those that like the Private Eye Genre

[bruderbane · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I first started reading "The Big Sleep" by Raymond Chandler I was taken aback by the size of the novel. It's so thin and I thought "How can such a minuscule volume come so highly recommended?" Mr. Chandler would definitely agree that as with women, looks can be deceiving. Such a lackadaisical faux-pas was the case with "The Big Sleep" where Mr. Chandler aids in the glorious birth of the hard-boiled detective novel. I simply find it amazing how cutting edge Mr. Chandler's writing was and how he captured the feel and grit of a place and time so well. I also find it amazing how so many people copied Mr. Chandler (as well as Mr. Hammett) without giving proper credit where it is obviously due. Thank you fellow readers for the recommendations and I look forward to picking up the next novel.

[tmbcoughlin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book. Philip Marlow is a detective hired to source out a blackmail letter received by a rich oil tycoon that is on his dying bed. He has two daughters in their twenties that live a life less than admirable. Philip works to track down the source discovering a pornographic ring, nearly a witness to a murder, and the story continues to twist from there as the characters that are involved become more seedy. Philip is smart and savy. You don't find him falling into bed with women in the book, not because they don't try, but he has a distaste for their character. It is refreshing.

[alllgood · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My first experience with the genre. In the beginning, it felt cliched and over the top. But this is what all the cliches are based on. This is the original! It was so much fun to read the witty banter and explore Marlowe's twisted world. I couldn't help to hear Garrison Keillor's Guy Noir voiceovers in the background.

[woodshopcowboy · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is Chandler's first novel. It's a messy, incomplete plot, but the writing...god, the writing. Tough as Scotch in the morning, smooth as bourbon at noon, and taut as the girl you hope you sleep with that night.

[the_terrible_trivium · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Good, not as great as James Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice or David Goodis's Down There as far as noir goes. Chandler's got an epic style, though, I'll definitely be reading more from him. Surely he's got a masterpiece or two, but this one's just good.

[justagirl_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The first Philip Marlowe book and one of the best. There's only so many different ways one can talk about Chandler being one of the greatest crime writers ever--he inspires me to write and makes me want to give up because I know I'll never be that good in equal measures--and this book also has a very good plot, which some of the others fall down on. An undeniable classic of the genre.

[jwhenderson_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In his book on the history of the detective story, Mortal Consequences, author Julian Symons has this to say about Raymond Chandler:"Chandler had a fine feeling for the sound and value of words, and he added to it a very sharp eye for places, things, people, and the wisecracks (this out-of-date word still seems the right one) that in their tone and timing are almost always perfect."This was certainly true in Chandler's first novel, The Big Sleep, and it is a narrative that is nothing if not what one would cinematic in its beautiful prose. Yet, it is the dialogue that seems to me to be the best part. This is the oomph that gave his novel a kick that I seldom experience in my reading. Chandler was both a master of prose and the detective story and, despite rough edges, never seemed to lose his authorial grip over the plot while dazzling the reader with beautiful women and sleazy characters. His private eye, Philip Marlowe, is smooth and suave and always seems to be on top of the situation, even when he appears to be on the bottom. Following the twists and turns as he handily dealt with one surprise after another made for great fiction. It was a joy to finally read this author as part of my current class on crime and the criminal in American fiction.